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Understand

Though very small, Pondicherry was the largest French colony in India. The city has a long and interesting history of trade and war. There is a strong French influence in the city, especially in the old quarters, with Rues and Boulevards lined with Mediterranean style houses and bakeries, although the city remains very much indian. French is still understood, and the whole city makes for rather pleasant mix of East and West. It is also known as The French Riviera of the East (La Côte d'Azur de l'Est). If you've spent some time in Tamil Nadu and approached Pondicherry by land, you'll very likely experience mild culture shock on discovering French architecture and restaurants serving steak and good wine. Pondicherry is very much a city with a dual personality: crossing from East to West of the central canal reveals two cities with very different characters.

Get in

By road

Pondicherry is well connected from all sides. Chennai is situated 160 km north of the city. Getting to Pondicherry involves a three hour road journey from Chennai. One can get a bus from CMBT in Koyambedu or from Thiruvanmiyur or Guindy. You can be sure of a seat only from CMBT in Koyambedu.

You can also take a taxi from Chennai Airport. It costs Rs. 1500 (apporox USD 35.00) (as of December 2009)

The road from Chennai to Pondicherry (the East Coast Road, commonly called ECR) is a scenic highway and a normal journey would take about 3 hours. Most tourists however, cannot resist the seashore kissing the ECR and take a number of stops en route. This route passes through Mahabalipuram, Kalpakkam, Pudupattinam, Idaikkazhinadu (Alamparai Fort also called Alambara Fort), Mudaliarkuppam (has a cool boat house), Marakkanam (contains large areas under salt pans), Kanagachettikulam/Kalapet etc. before reaching Pondicherry.

The other route that can be taken to reach Pondy is through the National Highway 45 (NH-45) famously called as the Grand Southern Trunk GST Road. This route passes through Tambaram, Madhurantakam, Melmaruvathur, Tindivanam before reaching Pondicherry. Both the major roads from Chennai are toll roads and approximately take the same time.

Pondicherry is about 320 km from Bangalore. Drive down National Highway 7 (NH-7) till Krishnagiri, take a left off the main highway (roadsigns mark the route) and then take National Highway 66 (NH-66) to Pondicherry. This route passes through Uthangarai, Chengam, Tiruvannamalai, Gingee and Tindivanam. One can reach Pondicherry either through Tindivanam (via Gingee) or Villupuram (via Thirukovilur). Gingee fort is also on the way to Tindivanam and worth spending some time. It is a Archealogical survey of India (ASI)Heritage site. The total travel time should be about 5-6 hours. Do pack some food or snacks for the way as there are no good restaurants enroute.

By train

Pondicherry is connected to Chennai by an electric broad gauge railway line through Villupuram. There are 2 passenger trains running daily to Chennai Egmore Railway station and Tirupati and there is a weekly express train service to Bhubaneswar. In addition to this, there is also a daily express train to Chennai Egmore.It is advisable to go by road rather than train to Pondicherry from Chennai as the journey is longer by train.

Bangalore Yesvanthapur(YPR) to Podicherry(PDY) is connected by a 3-Tier AC Train called Garibh Rath Express. It covers a distance of 456 kilometres in each direction however it takes 10 hours 5 mins when operating as train number 12255 at an average speed of 60 km/h (excluding halts). It leaves Puducherry as train number 12256 on Saturday at 22:05 hrs and at the end of 8 halts arrives at Yesvanthapur the next day at 08:25 hrs. It leaves Yesvantpur as train number 12255 on Friday at 23:15 hrs and at the end of 9 halts arrives at Puducherry the next day at 09:20 hrs. Coach Composition comprises of 16 AC 3 tier coaches and 2 luggage cum generator coach taking the total up to 18 coaches.

By plane

Pondicherry has an airport with facilities for the landing of small aircraft like Dornier, Cessna, etc. But it is not available for public use presently. Several airlines have shown interest in flying to Puducherry Airport.

Get around

The best way to see Pondicherry and its surrounding areas is by renting out a "Pedal cycle" or a "motorcycle" or "gearless scooter". But as traffic increases, it is increasingly difficult to walk in many streets as they are crowded. There are several rental outlets on Mission St and MG Rd. The prices as of July 2010 were Rs.200/day for a gearless scooter, and Rs.250/day for a geared motorcycle and Rs 40/day for a bicycle. You will need to provide some identification document as collateral and an advance of Rs 500. Many of the rentals also provide delivery and pickup at the hotel which is very useful. (Note: Usually the number of days for these vehicles are calculated from 9.00 AM to 9.00 PM. The motorbikes are easily available in a couple of two wheeler rental shops in Mission Street.
The Pondicherry tourism development corporation has daily bus services for tourists and it covers all the important tourist spots to be seen in Pondicherry. It is the best and most economic way to tour Pondicherry.

Talk

The main language spoken in Pondicherry is Tamil, though French is also widely spoken. Telugu and Malayalam are the other two official languages, but their use is generally confined to specific districts.

English is spoken by most educated people, and is the lingua franca between people from different linguistic districts.If you know english or Tamil, you can survive your visit to Pondicherry. French alone will not help.

See

Gandhi Statue on Beach Road

The Beach

Barathi Park

Churches

Botanical garden (not so nice anymore since Thane cyclone in 2011)

Chunnambar Boat House(which is crowded on holidays and weekends)

Oustery Lake (Only as a view but not developed)

Paradise Beach

Sri Aurobindo Ashram

Government Museum

Auroville International city

Matri Mandir in Auroville

Boat House

Manakula Vinayagar Temple

Villianur - St. Lourd Church (7Km from Pondicherry towards Villupuram)

Villianur Thirukameeswarar Temple

Auro Beach (Opposite to Auroville City)

Goubert market

Muslim quarter and the several mosques (near train station)

Do

There is not much one is expected to do at Pondicherry. You would understand this better once you get there and understand the pace of life.

You can also do some serious meditation at the Auroville, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, or going to Bharatanatyam performances that are often organized there by the Auroville Cultural Exchange [21] in the local temples, or at major hotels.

You can also go fishing in a Catamaran or while away your evenings at the Rocky Beach. You can also hire mopeds and go on long drives for the sandy beaches that dot the coast line.

You can also experience staying in a traditional 'Parapachai' house - an affectionate name given by connoisseurs to traditional green colored houses. First class experience.

Casablanca and Titanic, Mission Street. must see shopping. the latter is a factory outlet of the former.

French Quarter Architecture, the other side of the canal road to the coastline.

Scuba Diving

Scuba Diving with Temple Adventureshttp://www.templeadventures.com/ in the oceans of Pondicherry. Diving is daily out in the sea from Pondy Harbour. Centre is located in the centre of town for easy access to divers. 1 day experience can be provided for non-divers and swimmers, and PADI courses offered for divers, or anyone to learn over 4 days, or as many as you like. Great marine life, reefs, fish, and company.

Cultural activities

Cooking classes are proposed as well in Sita Cultural CenterSita. This society provides as well cultural and artistic activities such as yoga classes, Dance classes, initiation to Ayurveda, Kolam, Tanjavur paintings.

Eat

Pondicherry is known for its wide variety of cuisines ranging from South Indian delicacies like idly and dosa to seafood like fried fish, prawn bajji and parota.

French influence can be seen to some extent in the local food. The best options are still the local delicacies; the excellent seafood. Good French food is available at restaurants around the French part of town.

Budget

Andhra Mess (Andhra Tiffin), 192 Amballatudayar Madam Street (between MG road and Bharathi Street). Served on a banana leaf, it is one of the best meal in town, .Rs. 60 for a meal.

Indian Delights Veg. Restaurant, 493 Mahatma Gandhi road (opposite a hotel (the clock tower hotel)). Opens at 5 in the morning, delicious variety of typical south indian dishes. Very cheap, popular with locals, not touristy.

Surguru, 3 branches : 99 Mission Street, 12 Nehru Street or at the corner of Sardar Vallabhai Patel Rd and East coast Road, in the basement of the hotel. Veg south indian restaurant. Clean and good service. Has delicious Indian food, at breakfast time try the delicious poori or paper roast (paper dosai).

Udupi hotel, Chetty Street (Opposite Diva shop on mission street). All kind of south indian dishes (dosai, parotta, idli, uttapam), very good and cheap. They also serve a "special of the day".

Mid Range

Anjappar, Near Jeeva Theater Signal. Open every day.

Aristo, Nehru Street. Nice terrace on the roof of the hotel; good French and Indian food.

Pizzeria Trattoria, Auroville Rd (On the way to Auroville). This restaurant serves Pizza and other Italian delights. Seems to be managed by a French person, food was good. Prices are reasonable, but the quantities are smaller.

Seagulls, (Walk south down to the end of the beach. It's at the end of the first alley on your left.). Nice bar that organizes musical concerts occasionally. They sell imported beer.

on the beach road abutting the french quarter. enjoy fine dining in a good ambiance with continental and indian cusine, has a nice buffet on weekends. Mimicry artists will sometimes entertain you at your table.

Choco La, Mission St. Small, cozy, clean chocolate shop on Mission St. Also features chocolate cakes, coffee's, etc. A bit on the expensive side.

Sleep

Club Mahindra Puducherry Resorts, Valluvar Medu, NR Nycer Factory, Manapattu Village, Bahour Commune Panchayath, Puducherry - 607402, ☎0413- 2616100, [6]. From being a French colony, Puducherry is a charming place that's a great getaway. It's a small place that has a big history. Where else can you taste a French dish served with South Indian chutney

Budget

Continental Hotel. Reasonable little place, quite well located for beach access / bars / wandering potential, and with a rooftop bar. Good selection of cheap beers: 80 rupees for an 8% Tuborg.450 for a single with fan, 550 for a single with aircon, 1000 on up for doubles.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram - II, (bureaucentral@sriaurobindoashram.org), [7]. Book in advance, if you don't want to be disappointed. The place is staffed by an elitist bunch who will only permit devotees inside the complex. A lot of pretense and little substance. The place is clean. Very strict too. No liquor, smoking, or eating. Park Guest House is on the beach with nice lawns looking upon the sea while Sea Side Guest house is on the beach road and most rooms have a nice sea view. A choice of Continental and Indian breakfast is free in both guest houses. There is also a nice new budget guest house very close to the beach, with a canteen. Rs. 600 to Rs. 1200 per day.

Splurge

DUNE, Pudhukuppam, Keelputhupet. ((via Pondicherry university)), ☎(91)- 9364455440 (booking@thedunehotel.com), [13]. checkin: 1:00; checkout: 11:00. Wander around the 35 acre Eco Beach Village and Spa to discover the 50 thematic hidden bungalows and pieces of art spread around the property. Enjoy the private beach, the amazing infinity pool, the tennis court, the daily pottery and yoga classes, even milk the cows in the organic farm, Dune is a beach resort that offers many distractions. To top it all, the Paradise Spa provides Ayurvedic cures, western massages and Watsu. The two restaurants will treat the finest palets, serving healthy gourmet fusion food prepared using organically farmed vegetables. Feel better by shopping for a cause at the Artyzan Vocational Academy by the NGO Children of the World India. The Dune cherishes the spirit "to live in harmony with nature and men". For ages, swamis (Holy Men) from the nearby temples of Mahabalipuram used this scenic beach reserve as a place of pilgrimage and meditation.Tariff INR 5,500/- to 18,250/-.

Sunway GRT, [15]. Cleanliness and service up to nice USA/European hotel standards. Not located in the center/touristy area of Pondicherry. You must arrange an auto-rickshaw (for approx Rs. 1700) to get to the tourist area by the beach. Nice tasty free buffet breakfast of South Indian foods for just Rs.250.(5250,)

Zest Big Beach, [16]. One of the best resorts in Pondicherry. This resort is managed by the Mahindra Group. The resort is situated 11 Kms away from Pondicherry on the Cuddalore road. The resort serves great food and is the ideal getaway destination, especially during weekends.(6400,)

''Hotel Surguru'', 104, Sardar Vallabhai Patel Salai, ☎+91(413)222-7290/233-4377/233-9022, [17]. checkin: Upto 6PM; checkout: 24 Hours. Though not located next to or at the Promenade/Beach or near Aurobindo Ashram or in the French Quarter, it is close to all the places and is within 2km. It has its own parking lot, good rooms and suits, 24 hours coffee shop, one of the best South Indian restaurants among their features to top the reasonable rates it offers to its guests.INR 1,300 to 2,000.

Cozy Cool, Auroville Road, Pondicherry, next to Auroville, (cozybaba@hatmail.com, fax: 00-000-00-0). checkin: Upto 12PM; checkout: 24 Hours. This is an absolute fantastic cozy cool place which is a beach property. The shacks come with centralised AC and this is the only place that hosts one of the worlds largest swimming pools after the beach....INR 750 to 1000. (12,25)